


Falling into Place

by Schnaucl (Onetrackmind)



Category: Numb3rs
Genre: Episode S04e18 When Worlds Collide, Incest, M/M, from prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-29
Updated: 2008-06-29
Packaged: 2017-11-21 02:58:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/592680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onetrackmind/pseuds/Schnaucl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>David and Colby are getting married.  Colby reflects on their life up to this point.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling into Place

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was David/Colby & fitting together.

Colby put in his father’s cuff links and then snuck a peek outside the door.  
  
His family was already seated, as was David’s, except for his sister, Linda, a “bridesmaid” who was standing near the altar. Alan and Millie were sitting next to David’s mom, no doubt telling her stories about her son. And possibly Colby.  
  
Megan, the other “bridesmaid,” looked radiant enough to be a bride. They said pregnancy gave women a certain glow, and her belly was swollen with her first child. Larry stood beside her, occasionally placing a hand to feel his child and looking freshly amazed each time. Colby had no doubt they’d make great parents.  
  
Don and Charlie, the groomsmen, stood close together, as always. Don’s hand was on Charlie’s shoulder, and he was smiling, his eyes crinkling. Charlie’s head was down, but Colby knew if he were closer he would be able to see Charlie grinning, probably looking at Don from the corner of his eye or from beneath lowered lashes. Depending on what Don had said his cheeks may or may not have a faint pink tinge. Their body language was completely relaxed, comfortable. There had been a time he thought he’d never see them that way again.  
  
It had been hard after Megan and Charlie left. No one could fill Megan’s place, most who tried lasted less than a month. Eventually Don gave up and limited his team to David, Colby, and himself. But every day Don seemed to lose a little of his passion for his job, and when he had to deal with cases that reminded him of Phil Sanjrani’s case and the circumstances of Charlie’s departure (and those types of cases had only increased in frequency after Sanjrani), it visibly took a toll on him.  
  
The only thing that made that period at the FBI bearable was his blossoming relationship with David. Colby had felt something between them ever since David had returned his father’s fishing lure. With Don slowly falling apart they had to count on each other more than ever. They started spending a lot of time together outside of work. At first they went to bars together under the fiction of trying to pick up women, but far more often than not (Charlie probably would have said a statistically unlikely amount), they would end up together, sometimes they’d even close down the bar, though they were usually close to sober. Eventually, bar nights were replaced with dinners at restaurants. They spent the majority of their weekends together, too. There were basketball games to play, sporting events to attend, the occasional movie in a theater or even at one of their apartments. And then one night David invited Colby to watch a baseball game at his place and they ended up making out on his couch. It should have freaked him out, but it felt so right that he didn’t care.  
  
They were a lot more discrete after that. Public dinners were limited to once or twice a month, they still went to bars occasionally, suddenly stopping would look as odd as going all the time. They never, ever fooled around on the job. When they started sleeping together they took separate cars when they arrived at work and separate cars when they left. They tried to leave a cushion of time so it didn’t look like they were avoiding arriving or leaving at the same time any more than it looked like they were carpooling. It was a constant struggle, and more than once Colby wished Charlie were around to figure out some sort of formula to avoid attracting attention.  
  
Despite the difficulties inherent in dating another man in the FBI, Colby had been surprised how well David fit into his life. He made the good times better and the rough patches easier. They broadened each other’s musical horizons, and learned the comfort of staying in, ordering out, and watching the game or movies. When Don was having a particularly bad day, or week, or month, David was there to share his pain and they were able to keep each other’s spirits up.  
  
Eventually Colby had practically moved into David’s apartment. He kept his own, of course. There were appearances to maintain. They had to have separate addresses for the FBI and even though he was living with David he couldn’t make him his emergency contact. California recognized gay marriage, and slowly other states followed suit. There was no doubt in Colby’s mind that eventually it would be federal law, probably within his lifetime. Meanwhile, he and David couldn’t even openly admit they were dating. The secrecy took its toll and just when it started to become unbearable, Don’s slow deterioration became a lot more rapid. As far as Colby knew there hadn’t been a precipitating event. Maybe Charlie could have plotted it on a graph and told him it was consistent with Don’s pattern of behavior. But by then they hadn’t seen Charlie in a few years and as far as they knew Don’s relationship with him was virtually nonexistent.  
  
Don had been taking increased risks since Charlie lost his clearance, but at that point he became downright reckless. He wasn’t reckless with David’s life, or Colby’s, never that, but he _was_ reckless with his own. After one too many close calls David and Colby had had enough. They’d had a long talk with each other and they next day they sat Don down in a secluded bar. Colby had taken David’s hand in his, linking their hands together. Don had smiled then, a real smile, the kind that made the corners of his eyes crinkle. Colby had realized then that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Don truly smile. He’d seemed happy for them, but not surprised. Later Don told them he’d had his suspicions for the last two years. But he was their friend, they kept it professional at work, and Don was the first to admit he didn’t have the moral authority to tell anyone not to become involved with someone at work. He’d figured they’d tell him when and if they were ready, and if they weren’t or if they were afraid Don would have to turn them in, he’d respect their privacy.  
  
The first hurdle cleared, they told Don they wanted to leave the FBI and start their own security firm and they wanted Don to join them. They wanted Charlie, too, if he was interested. It took some persuading, but Don eventually agreed. Charlie was easier to convince. His only condition was that he wouldn’t give up teaching. He’d consult, just like he had for the FBI.  
  
It was almost like old times except that Don and Charlie were awkward around each other, careful and wary in a way they never had been before. It took several months but eventually they relearned how to work together. A few months after that they relearned how to be friends.  
  
More recently Colby and David had both noticed looks and touches that lingered just a little too long. It was a rare occurrence, and easy to miss if you weren’t looking for it. It was more than a little shocking, and honestly disturbing. But it was clear that whatever was going on between them, it was mutual. No one was being forced, no one was being hurt.  
  
So they tried to understand. After all, if anyone could understand about loving someone society deemed unacceptable and shameful it was them. Some people didn’t like them because he was white and David was black, some people didn’t like them because they were gay, some people had problems with both. They understood what it was to have to hide their relationship when all they wanted to do was shout it from the rooftops.  
  
One day, when they thought Don and Charlie wouldn’t freak out, they’d tell them it was okay. But right now was too soon. They had no idea if the relationship was new or something that was being resumed after time, but the last thing they wanted to do was destroy it by acknowledging it before Don and Charlie were ready. If it became too obvious they’d have to say something just to protect them, but they were both sure that they would be careful. Colby and David had noticed because they were trained to observe but that wasn’t true of most of the people in Don and Charlie’s life. Hell, most of the people in Charlie’s life probably wouldn’t notice without a neon sign and written directions.  
  
But it _was_ obvious they were both happy. Don smiled a lot more often, laughed more easily and even relaxed on occasion. Charlie was downright chipper, as long as it wasn’t too early in the morning; he still used the same kinds of analogies to explain his math to the three of them and to clients. It really was like old times except that they were equal partners. Equal partners in a thriving business that he loved, and one that showed no sign of slowing down.  
  
Colby was in a loving relationship, his work was fulfilling, not to mention lucrative, and he was happier than he could ever remember being.  
  
“Getting cold feet?” a warm voice murmured in his ear.  
  
Colby grinned as David’s arms slid around him. “Actually, the exact opposite. I was just thinking how amazingly lucky I am.”  
  
He could feel David’s smile against the back of his neck. “Yeah, we are pretty lucky.”  
  
Colby let himself be turned in David’s arms but raised an eyebrow. “Thought we weren’t supposed to see each other until the ceremony. Bad luck or something.”  
  
David shrugged. “There’s no bride. And we make our own luck.”  
  
“You know what? You’re absolutely right.” He gently tugged David forward and gave him a sweet, tender kiss. “Let’s go get married.”


End file.
